I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you,

declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.

Ezekiel 16:8

What is your spiritual story? Believer, what would your life be like today without the Lord? Periodically, it’s good to remember our past, so we can cherish our present and eternal state.

In Ezekiel 16:1-14, God reminded Israel of her past. Her beginning was among Canaanites—people who neither knew nor followed God. God portrayed Israel as a despised infant, who upon birth was discarded with no care. Even as an infant with no care would perish, so Israel without God’s intervention would have perished.

But—God gave Israel life. He looked upon Israel and commanded, “Live!” God then made Israel grow and become beautiful. With unconditional love, He entered into a covenant relationship with her, declaring to Israel, You are mine (Ezekiel 16: 6-8). God blessed Israel, showered her with riches, and made her royalty.

What a story! It’s God’s story of His salvation and exaltation of His chosen nation. What part did Israel play in her exalted state? Israel was clearly helpless and hopeless with no way of salvation. But God! God chose Israel, saved her, and blessed her through grace.

This wonderful story of grace is the story of every believer! I was born with a foreign heart, a heart that neither knew God nor followed His ways. I, too, was like a discarded infant--helpless and hopeless with no way of saving myself. Left alone, I surely would have perished.

But God called my name and said, “Live!” He gave me faith to believe and then declared, “You are mine.” He brought me into an eternal relationship with Him and showered me with every spiritual blessing in Jesus. He has made me royalty that I might declare His praises! (Ephesians 1:3, 2:8-9; I Peter 2:9)

Praise God for your story, believer! Thank God for His grace. Cherish the undeserved relationship, blessings, and royalty you experience in Christ Jesus who called your name and now declares, “You are mine!”

Jan Burkhart